


An Endearing Kind of Hubris

by Corvideo



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017), Legend of the Three Caballeros (Cartoon), The Three Caballeros (1944)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Bar Room Brawl, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:34:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24741634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corvideo/pseuds/Corvideo
Summary: José has to wonder why Panchito is so much more confident than he used to be.
Relationships: Implied José Carioca/Donald Duck/Panchito Pistoles, José Carioca/Panchito Pistoles
Comments: 4
Kudos: 75





	An Endearing Kind of Hubris

_“Of course, somos Los Tres Caballeros!”_

Panchito would always bring it up. He’d say it to anyone, anytime, any place. José and Donald would hear it when they needed some uplifting. They would hear it when making a plan to escape their assailants. They would hear it knowing it’s a baseless excuse. They would hear it knowing Panchito meant it.

Sometimes, they appreciated the sentiment. Other times, it was wildly uncalled for (getting the gang involved in a few too many fights in the past). While his companions had always been less than eager to engage in combat without reason, Panchito never seemed to mind. 

He didn’t mind a lot of things, which was always a mystery to his partners. His carefree attitude was not foreign to them before they were a trio, but he seemed happier, almost unburdened. José had to wonder what it was about being the Caballeros that enabled him that way. 

Donald was not an authority figure. Quite the opposite, in fact, and every time he screamed “YOU’LL REGRET THE DAY YOU WERE FUCKING BORN!” and started swinging in the direction of a police officer, José and Panchito were always the ones that had to hold him back before he got himself hurt. There was no way Donald was going to sway Panchito’s less-than-ideal choices when he was even more off the shits. 

As for José, it didn’t help that he believed in letting others live life the way they want. He would always stand by and watch to admire whatever dumb things Donald and Panchito would do in public. You have many opportunities to witness your partner act rashly in front of others when they’re an extrovert.

With that, one could assume that Panchito was not a stranger to bar fights.

And they’d be right.

“ _Porra,_ where do you get this boundless energy?” José would find his back against Panchito’s after tripping a few attacking men. Donald’s “battle cries” could be heard accompanied with the sound of wood breaking. “I figure it’s in your rooster genes, always waking up so early. And for what reason?” he managed to add, before noticing that Panchito was smiling at him. 

It wasn’t his trademark wolfish grin of mischief that he always had on during an adrenaline rush; it was none other than his award-winning, show-stealing sunshine smile. 

“Because,” Panchito said aloud. “we are unstoppable, the three of us!”

“...And that is where your energy comes from?” José was pretty certain that they were stoppable, but he had to admit they’d be much more stoppable without the crested fellow.

An extra flair of determination grasped Panchito, and he looked as if he’d already been preparing to explain. “I’ve not found my place yet,” he said more carefully. “but I’ve found my people- ever since we met as roommates.” While landing a kick to the jaw of a hairy attacker, he never once took his eyes off of Zé. 

The parrot caught a glance at the gleam in his eye. He was tipsy, for sure, but the man had an impressive alcohol tolerance.

“I love my family, mi Mamá y Papá, y mi Tia y Tio y Primos y Abuela y.. you know the story. But they are just a part of me, my people by default. Friends and lovers are different. To find your missing half─ well, I don’t have a missing half! Why, I’m amazing on my own! But with you and Donal’ and I─”

José was too busy staring to pay attention to a coming onslaught of a gangly heron that Panchito swiftly intercepted and continued as if it were nothing. 

“─I’m complete. We have each other, and together we’re going to find our place─ on the stage! No matter how long it takes to get there, I’m fueled by the thought that you and me and Donal’ will spend our lives together, just like this."

“Well,” José averted his gaze to hide that he was getting choked up─ it definitely wasn’t from combat. “I should hope our lives will involve less bar fights.”

Panchito exhaled a song of laughter that made José feel warm on the inside.

“I can promise you that when we are famous.”


End file.
